Category: Safety

BOISE—Labor Day is fast approaching, and summer is winding down. As Idahoans celebrate the end of the summer expect to see more police officers on the roads looking for impaired drivers. The Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is partnering with over 50 law enforcement agencies across the state to step up DUI patrols from August 18 through Labor Day.

“As Idahoans, we want to do the right thing and keep each other safe,” explained Impaired Driving Program Specialist Lisa Losness. “We all know drinking and driving can have deadly consequences and so we hope everyone makes a plan for a sober ride home and the police don’t have to intervene.”

According to data gathered by OHS, 39% of all fatal crashes in Idaho are impaired driver related.

Labor Day also marks the end of the 100 Deadliest Days, the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when Idaho sees a spike in fatal and serious injury crashes. This year to date 152* people have been killed in crashes on Idaho roads, 77* of those fatalities happened during the 100 Deadliest Days.

“If you are planning a Labor Day celebration or an end-of-summer road trip, include a safe and sober ride home in your plans, buckle up, and end this summer with great memories,” said Losness.

*Preliminary data

Fifteen people have been killed in crashes on Idaho roads in the last 10 days, at the mid-point of the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer. The Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS), Idaho State Police, and over 50 law enforcement partners across Idaho are joining forces to educate drivers and stop aggressive driving. Now through July 30, expect to see more officers on the road looking for speeding, tailgating, and other aggressive driving behaviors.

So far this year 121* people have been killed on Idaho roads. Forty-five* of those fatalities happened during the 100 Deadliest Days, which is the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when Idaho sees a spike in fatal and serious injury crashes. Last year 39 percent of all fatal crashes involved some form of aggressive driving behavior.

“We all want to make it home and most Idahoans make safe choices that protect themselves and others,” explained Highway Safety Manager Josephine Middleton. “It’s important that we recognize and stop the behaviors that put people at risk.”

Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to react to hazards and increases the risk of crashes and injuries. It also makes it harder to maneuver around obstacles or curves and increases stopping distance. Other vehicles and pedestrians may misjudge distances when a car is speeding towards them.

“The effects of speeding are deadly,” said Middleton,  “and with more drivers out and about during the summer the danger goes up for everyone on the roads.”

Examples of aggressive driving include:

• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Cutting in front of another driver and then slowing down
• Failing to stop for red lights or stop signs
• Failure to yield
• Weaving in and out of traffic
• Changing lanes without signaling
• Blocking cars that are attempting to change lanes
• Passing a vehicle on the wrong side of the road or on the shoulder
• Screaming, honking, or flashing lights
• Making hand gestures or facial expressions at other drivers

*Preliminary data

An entry titled “ITD Goes Above and Beyond to Keep Idaho Roads Safe” recently won an APEX Award of Excellence – the second national award recognizing the department’s outstanding winter road-clearing efforts. ITD’s winter efforts also earned a Community Service award a few months ago.

“We appreciate that our Idaho Transportation Department teams are nationally recognized for the best daily customer service and also our public service readiness 24/7 in teamwork during storms with highway partners like ISP for local community safety success,” said ITD Chief Deputy/Chief Operations Officer Dan McElhinney (pictured below).

The winning APEX entry highlighted some of the outstanding work by ITD crews in the recent past. It focused on the above-and-beyond efforts of employees across the state, chronicling the incredible efforts every day by more than 500 workers to keep our roads and bridges clear and open.

“The competition was particularly intense this year,” said Ken Turturo of APEX and Communications Concepts. “There were quite a few entries exhibiting very high-quality work that did not receive an award. The fact that you won should not be taken lightly.”

ITD tracked nearly 7,860 storms this past winter season, about 3,350 more than the previous winter. But despite a more challenging winter, crews kept the state’s roads clear and passable during the storm 80 percent of the time.

BOISE – As Idahoans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and partners across the state encourage everyone to include a sober ride home in their holiday plans.

ITD’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) has partnered with law enforcement agencies across Idaho to devote extra resources to stopping impaired drivers around the Fourth of July. More police will be on patrol from June 30 through July 9.

“When you are making your holiday plans, they should include a sober ride home whether that’s a cab, rideshare, designated driver, or celebrating in a place where you don’t need to drive,” said Highway Safety Manager Josephine Middleton. “Always have a plan before you start drinking. If you wait until after you may be too impaired to make the safe choice.”

Idaho is also in the middle of the 100 Deadliest Days, the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when Idaho sees a spike in fatal and serious injury crashes. In the last 31 days, at least 19* people have been killed in crashes on Idaho roads. In the summertime, people are off from school or work, enjoying vacations, engaging in recreational activities, and celebrating. Unfortunately, these social factors result in an increase in distracted driving, aggressive driving, and impaired driving, which makes the roads riskier for everyone, including those who are driving safely and responsibly.

For the Fourth of July and the rest of the summer remember these safe driving tips:

• Always wear a seat belt. Seat belts increase your chance of surviving a crash by 50 percent.
• Put away the distractions and drive engaged.
• Never drink and drive. If you have a friend who is about to drive drunk, be courageous, take away their keys and help them get home safely.
• Drive the speed limit, or slower if conditions are bad.
• On two-lane roads, if there are more than three cars behind you, pull over in a safe place to let them pass.

*Preliminary Data

BOISE – Before hitting the road for weekend or holiday adventures, officials from the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) want Idahoans and Gem State visitors to make sure the safety chains attached to their trailers won’t drag and spark fires, and that tires are road worthy so they don’t blow out.

“Flat tires on vehicles and trailers pose wildfire risks when metal rims scrape along asphalt, throwing sparks into roadside fuels like dry grass”, said ITD director Scott Stokes. “Before heading out, check your tire pressure and look for damage or wear that could lead to tire failure.”

Idaho has seen catastrophic wildfires from a flat tire in the past, something state officials hope to avoid in the future. In 1992 a negligent motorist drove for miles with a flat tire on the car he was towing behind his motorhome. It started a 6,258 acre fire along Highway 55 near Banks, ID, with the driver receiving a $1.3 million bill for the cost of fighting the blaze.

Dragging trailer chains are also dangerous, they can start multiple fires along stretches of roads and highways.

A vehicle dragging a chain threw sparks into the dry grasses along I-84 near Jerome in 2019 burning more than 350 acres and impeding traffic on the freeway.

“We all want to do the right thing, and double-checking your safety chains takes less than a minute,” said Stokes.

When connecting trailer safety chains, crisscross the chains so they won’t drag on the road. Crisscrossing provides the added benefit that if the ball hitch does come loose, the trailer is cradled in the chains keeping it behind your vehicle, away from oncoming traffic.

Preventing a human cause wildfire also means being aware of your surroundings when you stop along a roadway or park to recreate.

“Parking on dry grass can also start wildfires and should always be avoided,” added IDL director Dustin Miller. “Your vehicle’s exhaust system is hot enough to spark a fire.”

In 2017 a farmer near Star, ID, lost five acres of wheat to a preventable fire caused by the hot exhaust pipe on a truck.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there were 61,429 human-caused wildfires across the nation in 2022.

“Wildfires caused by humans are 100% preventable if people would just change their behaviors and use caution and common sense,” Miller added.

It’s not just damage to the land people love, there can be severe financial consequences for negligently starting a wildfire in Idaho. Idaho law directs IDL to investigate wildfires on land it protects. Those deemed negligently responsible for starting fires face paying for suppression costs and economic damages.

According to Miller, the costs can run into the millions. “Because Idaho’s taxpayers pay for wildfire suppression, we aggressively seek to recover as much as possible from those found negligent.”

For more information about preventing wildfires and highway safety, visit www.idl.idaho.gov/prevention and www.itd.idaho.gov/safety.

BOISE— Safe driving goes beyond the steering wheel; it extends to your whole vehicle and trailer when you hit the road. That’s why the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is recognizing National Secure Your Load Day on June 6, 2023.  It is every driver’s responsibility to ensure all cargo is safely secured. Unsecured loads pose a safety risk on our roadways.

Objects or debris can fall from vehicles or trailers and collide with other vehicles or pedestrians, causing serious injuries or fatalities. Idaho code states, no vehicle shall be operated on any public highway unless such vehicle’s load is secured to prevent the load from becoming loose, detached or a hazard to other users of the highway.

“Many drivers think that only commercial vehicle drivers are responsible for securing their cargo,” said OHS Program Manager Josephine Middleton. “We want our community to know that it is every driver’s responsibility to ensure their load is properly secured. It’s the right thing to do and it could save the life of the person behind you.”

According to Idaho’s Crash Database, from 2018 to 2022, 82 people were injured as a result of an object that was not properly secured. During this same time period, 2 people lost their lives. Non-commercial passenger vehicles accounted for 61% of the crashes in which cargo was not properly secured.

Before transporting a load, check that your vehicle’s load is secured on the top, sides, and back, and make sure nothing can blow or fall out. Ensure your load is safe if you were to suddenly hit the brakes or a speed bump, or if you were hit by another vehicle. Ask yourself, “Would I feel safe driving behind my loaded vehicle?”

Follow these tips to ensure you properly secure your load:

• Tie it down with rope, netting, or straps.
• Tie large objects directly to your vehicle or trailer.
• Consider covering the entire load with a sturdy tarp or netting.
• Don’t overload your vehicle or trailer.
• Always double-check your load to make sure it’s secure.